How Do I Answer the Question?

After reading Are These Three Words Ruining Your Life? from Zen Habits, (Thanks to Edventures who shared this with me), Jonathan Mead writes,

“The unmagical words
Those words are: I don’t know…
Just imagine all of the possibilities for you to practice actively making decisions based on your desires, rather than re-actively defaulting to unconsciousness.”

This had me thinking about how I could relate this to the classroom. When I ask a student a question that requires their opinion or their views, many will answer, “I don’t know.” I know with my autistic student, saying, “I don’t know” was a defense mechanism for him most of the time. By using this phrase, many of my students would hide behind the words rather than risk making a mistake. I had to begin thinking about when I use these words and why I use them.

I know sometimes I say this to my husband when I don’t want to start a disagreement or I’m not sure of the answer he is looking for. Or maybe I just don’t have the energy to really think of an answer. Or maybe what I really mean is, “I don’t care.” Am I avoiding the answer because it takes effort to really respond to the question and I don’t have time to do that?

Do my students feel the same way? Are they afraid that they won’t say what I want to hear? Is it too risky for them to give an answer in case it is wrong? Maybe it is my facial expression or my body language that is making them feel this way. Or maybe they don’t have the energy to think of an appropriate answer? Maybe they are tired, or having a bad day.

Then I began to think of some other phrases they could use that might also help them feel more secure. (Of course I have the usual rules that we don’t make fun of any wrong answers, or make the person feel bad etc. But you know that these are just words too and students still can make someone else feel bad without the teacher knowing it.) I think I use certain phrases when I blog because I’m afraid of offending some reader or coming off too strong. But I learned these phrases through trial and error and testing. When I use these phrases, I feel less intimidated.

Phrases like:
1. I feel…
2. I think…
3. In my opinion…
4. If it was me…
5. I have done it this way…

I think I would actually give them opportunities to practice these phrases. I would also try to give them situations where they would feel less intimidated. Maybe they could work in small groups or with a peer. Maybe they could write out their answers or record their answers verbally outside of the general group. Maybe they could make a comic strip that includes their answers.

I believe over time, they would become more comfortable with answering. Using the “unmagical words” would occur less and less and they would be more successful with answering questions in the classroom.

Original image: 'is flickr an addiction?' http://www.flickr.com/photos/91903883@N00/2311427946 by: Candace